[00:00:05] Speaker A: Chris, thanks for joining us today.
[00:00:06] Speaker B: Thank you for having me.
[00:00:08] Speaker A: So excited to talk about all that’s going on at Tops.
[00:00:12] Speaker B: A lot of change.
[00:00:13] Speaker A: Yes. What’s new? Tell me fun things.
[00:00:15] Speaker B: What’s happening at Topps exciting year. Whole lot of change. With the acquisition of Smead and U brands, we’re obviously going through a lot of transitioning but I think just a very positive for all of our customers and all of the industry.
[00:00:28] Speaker A: That’s super exciting. It’s interesting now kind of have it under one umbrella.
[00:00:31] Speaker B: Ye it’s going to be huge. Add into all of our quality brands that we do have today.
So it’ll be a nice addition.
[00:00:38] Speaker A: That’s super exciting. So looking ahead into the new year, looking into 26, what are some of the trends you’re seeing or things that would be fun to talk through.
[00:00:46] Speaker B: I think a lot of it is this evolving in this changing climate that we’re in is staying flexible to all of the different environments, whether it’s an education or it’s the work life of people being at home and in the office make products that are applicable to these changing scenarios. Right. Used to be just can’t think of it just as a notebook or just as a legal pattern. How are they using it? Do they need it in bulk? Do they need it in small packs? Is it, you know, the recycled and the sustainability is still a big deal. Right. It used to be a nice to have now. Now we need it. People care. Right. So it’s.
[00:01:29] Speaker A: And look is important.
[00:01:30] Speaker B: Look is huge. Look is huge. So we’re continuing involving the addition of the Smead and the you brands and the marketing they’re about. They do a great job of developing new product like that. So it’s exciting for 2026. Who knew
[00:01:43] Speaker A: the manila folder had so many opportunities?
[00:01:45] Speaker B: Oh, I know, right? I know we thought we were done with it, but no, that’s so exciting.
[00:01:49] Speaker A: So as we, you know, we think about end user verticals, that’s one of the focuses we’re looking at in the new year is our vertical market Strategy. Whether that’s K12 or higher ed in the education space or kind of the med surge, acute non acute health care space or enterprise offices and things of that nature or FedGov or you know, municipalities. Where do you see the future of TOPS and where do you guys see growth or where do you guys feel like one of our customers could really dive in strongly under those verticals and
[00:02:15] Speaker B: win with you guys? Yeah. So, you know, I think depending on the different vertical and they go into Whether it is education. I mean, we obviously have a huge education offering on that side. So I think, you know, the customers and you can go into each one of them, and we have a solution across the board for all those verticals. You know, one of our biggest things that we’re looking for in 2026 is the continued growth of the U brands and the boards. I think there’s a tremendous opportunity, the way that we combine the fashion and the commercial together with that.
So I. We’re excited about that side of it.
[00:02:51] Speaker A: Yeah. How do. So we think about all the legacy brands that you guys have. You know, we all use. I mean, Jerry Seinfeld still uses some of the great products to write his jokes on.
[00:02:59] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:02:59] Speaker A: How do.
How do our customers elevate that story with their end users? What are some of the tools that you guys are offering today at the Greater Tops portfolio to kind of. It’s tax season. Hey, I would use this. Or it’s, you know, it’s writing or things of that nature.
[00:03:13] Speaker B: Right. I think it’s, you know, continuing, you know, the different marketing that we’re developing is being able to tell the story with our different products. You know, how can this be used in this environment? Right. A student definitely might need it.
The use of that product category much differently than somebody in the financial.
Somebody in the healthcare and making sure that we’re keeping up with the compliance in the products that are out there.
[00:03:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
One of the things we talk a lot about is with our manufacturing partners is all the tools that you guys have that our customers can leverage. Obviously, we spend a lot of time together thinking through how do we position your products effectively into our campaigns and stuff. But if I’m a dealer or distributor and out there going and having a conversation with X customer, this vertical, what are some of the ways that they can position your products to win? So if I walk into a school, what are the best ways for me to pull some of the, you know, the. The collateral you guys have to be able to be successful.
[00:04:09] Speaker B: Yeah. I think across all of them, we’re in the note taking, the filing binders, envelopes. Right.
So I think the biggest thing that we offer is the quality across all of it. It’s dependable product.
You got a lot of niche products. Right. So if you’re going in and you’re in the north, you need some cold crack whatnot. You’ve got those cardinal binders that are available for that, but just not your economy binders. Right. It’s what your customers need. What applies to them in each situation.
[00:04:41] Speaker A: Fair enough. Fair enough.
One of the things that’s big for SP is this whole idea of simplifying complexity. It’s going to be kind of our mantra into 26 and frankly and beyond as we think about a tagline. You know, sp, simplifying complexity. And listen, we can spend time talking about supply chain simplification and all that kind of stuff. That’s not what I really want to focus on is how can we work together or how can, you know, what do our customers need to hear about how to simplify that complexity with your brands into their portfolio.
[00:05:07] Speaker B: Right. You know, one of the things that we’re looking to do is simplify all of our offering as well. Right. I think a lot of times we have a legacy of product over the years and one of the things we’re doing is going through a SKU reduction like, hey, what makes sense? And making sure that the products that we have out there fit the needs currently and make it very simple for the customer to understand, hey, how can I use this product? So in any of the marketing, any of the flyers, anything we’re getting out in front of our customers, it’s making sure that they understand completely how can I use this product in this application.
[00:05:43] Speaker A: That’s great. Anything, any. Any fun innovation coming out for 26 at the moment?
[00:05:49] Speaker B: Fun innovation?
[00:05:50] Speaker A: I mean, it’s a great question.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: Fun could be fun, could be anything right. In these categories.
[00:05:55] Speaker A: But anything new coming out. Are you guys looking at the market a little bit differently? I think you talked earlier about maybe smaller pack sizes and things of that nature. What are your guys for the, you
[00:06:02] Speaker B: know, we’ve done a big emphasis on Ready Tag and growing that brand and re reinventing what that Ready Tag brand is. So we got a whole new line of items coming out in that that we’ll see later in 2026. We’ve also come out with some packs and colors that, that has been very popular that just got introduced that you’ll see across the marketplace might be different earth tones, four packs, six packs, things out there in the market. So just some different colors on the variations that of the products that we’ve been currently offering.
[00:06:36] Speaker A: That’s awesome. Chris, thanks so much.
[00:06:37] Speaker B: Yeah, thank you for having me.
[00:06:39] Speaker A: Appreciate it.
[00:06:39] Speaker B: Appreciate it.
[00:06:39] Speaker A: Talk soon.
[00:06:40] Speaker B: All right. Thank.
